Geography (GEO) - Courses           1

Geography (GEO) -Courses+ next to a course number indicates a general education course

Courses+GEO 102 Cr.3Maps and SocietyThis course introduces all aspects of maps and how they affect theindividual in society. It examines the evolution of maps, the map as anart form, the map as a communication medium for spatial knowledge,the meaning of maps and their relationship to culture and society pastand present, the influence of maps on an individual through mass mediaand the Internet, and the way maps reflect personal and societal pointsof view. It focuses on privacy and civil liberty issues of the individualin the age of digital information where maps and map databases candisclose the privacy of personal space. In addition, today’s GIS maps(in planning, in marketing, in hazard controls, etc.) embed substantialamounts of personal information that can affect personal securityand how our lives are directly, indirectly, knowingly, and unknowinglyinfluenced. Offered Fall, Spring.

+GEO 110 Cr.3World Cultural RegionsThis course provides an understanding of the global distribution ofworld cultures. The cultural, economic and natural patterns and theirinterrelationships are examined on a global and regional scale. Thedevelopment and distribution of cultural regions within countries areincluded when appropriate. Offered Fall, Spring.

+GEO 200 Cr.3Conservation of Global EnvironmentsIntroduction to natural resources, resource management, environmentaland land use ethics, environmental impacts of resource utilization andstrategies to resolve environmental conflicts. Course examines therelationships between society and the environment from the global tothe local scale. Offered Fall, Spring.

GEO 201 Cr.3Geography of United States and CanadaPhysical and cultural characteristics of United States and Canada.Changing patterns of land use and the accompanying economic andcultural development of the various regions. Offered Occasionally.

+GEO 202 Cr.3Contemporary Global IssuesThis course will offer a contemporary multi-disciplinary perspectiveregarding the major issues and trends confronting the global societyas it enters the 21st century. Emphasis will be given to a critical reviewand assessment of the origin and present condition of the plethora ofsituations and problems affecting modern global society. The studentwill also learn to critically evaluate current and future events. The coursewill incorporate the views and approaches of the following disciplines:sociology/anthropology, economics, geography, political science, andhistory. Students may only earn credit in one of the following: ANT 202,ECO 202, GEO 202, HIS 202, POL 202, SOC 202. Offered Fall, Spring.

GEO 204 Cr.3Geography of WisconsinGeographic patterns in Wisconsin. Physiographic regions, climate,population distribution, resources and their use, agriculture, industry,transportation, and urban growth. Offered Occasionally.

GEO 208 Cr.3Applications of Geographic Information Systems IAn introduction to applied aspects of Geographic Information Systems.GIS software, with an emphasis on ArcGIS, will be used to developworking proficiency with basic GIS procedures and applications. Topicsinclude data input and output, forming queries, data overlay processes,and creating map layouts. Prerequisite: not open to geography majors.Offered Occasionally.

ESC/GEO 250 Cr.3Maps and GISStudents will acquire fundamental knowledge and learn key conceptsunderlying spatial data, different map types and uses, thematicsymbolization and visualization, and spatial analytical techniques.They will learn how to critically assess and communicate knowledgeconcerning spatial environments. Students will also learn how to useGIS and Web mapping technologies. Lect. 2, Lab 2. (Cross-listed withESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall, Spring.

GEO 300 Cr.3Population GeographyA systematic analysis of the populations of the world and thegeographic factors influencing human existence. A study of the originand distribution of populations and the cultural features with which theyare associated. Offered Occasionally.

GEO 304 Cr.3Geography of EuropeGeographic factors in the changing physical, political, cultural andeconomic patterns in Europe. Emphasis on northwestern, central,and southern Europe and their importance in world affairs. OfferedOccasionally.

GEO 306 Cr.3Economic GeographyThis course introduces students to the global economic patterns whichhave shaped and conditioned the world of the 1990s, and the salienteconomic geography models and approaches which help to explainsuch patterns. Elements emphasized include the evolution of social andeconomic organization; the globalization of economic activity since thelate 1400s; the interconnectivity of development and underdevelopment;and the relationship between development and social environmentalproblems. Prerequisite: GEO 110 or ECO 110 or HIS 101 or ANT/ECO/GEO/HIS/POL/SOC 202. Offered Occasionally.

GEO 307 Cr.3Political GeographyA real differentiation and analysis of relationships between geographicfactors and political entities. This includes physical environment,organization of space, cultural influences, and economic capabilities.Offered Occasionally.

GEO 308 Cr.3Applications of GIS IIAdvanced exploration of geographic information systems tools andapplications. GIS software, with an emphasis on ArcGIS, is used todevelop advanced GIS skills. Topics include: working with coordinatesystems, editing and managing relational databases, working withArcGIS extensions, and GIS project management. Prerequisite: GEO 208.Not open to geography majors. Offered Occasionally.

GEO 309 Cr.3Urban GeographyGeographical study of cities, their form, function, site and situation.Classification of cities, urban land use patterns, and the role of the citywithin its region. Offered Occasionally.

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GEO 310 Cr.3Transportation GeographyTransportation geography is the study of the movement of peopleand commodities across the earth's surface. It deals with the spatialinteractions between people and places. This course is designed tointroduce you to the study of transportation systems from a geographicperspective. One can think of transportation as a service that thetransportation industry offers travelers to insure mobility. The relationbetween the supply for transportation and the demand for movingpeople and goods characterize the performance of the transportationsystem. Such performance is extremely important for our sustainabilityas it relates to the well being of our economy, society and environment.Studying a transportation system and its performance entails theanalysis of various aspects that relate to infrastructure, vehicles,and operations by which vehicles are operated using the availableinfrastructure. The effective management of transportation systemsrequires an understanding of various concepts and analytical methodsthat are often used by transportation professionals to make informeddecisions about transportation policy. While transport geographersstudy a wide range of topics, the focus of this introductory courseis on: theoretical and practical concepts of transport geography,current transportation issues and problems, and analytical methods fordescribing, analyzing and modeling transportation systems using GISsoftware. Offered Annually.

GEO 312 Cr.3Geography of AfricaCultural, physical and economic characteristics including the basesof problems in socio-economic development are investigated from ageographic perspective. Resources, regions, and world ties are studied.Offered Occasionally.

GEO 318 Cr.3The Geography of Latin America & the CaribbeanThe cultural and physical characteristics of Latin America and theCaribbean region are systematically examined and explained. Thisincludes an examination of diverse physical and 'built' environmentsthat encompass this region, from the borderlands of northern Mexico tothe Tierra Del Fuego of the south; from the lush tropical environmentsof the Amazon, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, to the Altiplano and aridregions of the west; from disparate lowlands to the startling mountainzones of the Andes. Indigenous civilizations which developed out ofunique arrangements with these complex environments as well as thoseimposed and imported since 1500 will be explored in depth. OfferedOccasionally.

ESC/GEO 321 Cr.3Sustainable Development and ConservationThis course is designed to engage students in critical thinking withregard to how the current momentum in environmental conservationis shaping global development practices. The dual and seeminglyconflicting mandates of conservation and development are examinednot only through theory but also case studies from different parts of theworld. Offered Annually.

GEO 328 Cr.3Geography of East and Southeast AsiaThe geography of China, Japan, the Koreas, and Mongolia; thegeography of the 10 states of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia,Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and Burma. Contemporary geopoliticalproblems and prospects; East Asia and the world; primordial andhistorical factors contributing to identity and conflict. The courseemphasizes human-cultural patterns, salient physical characteristics,and the relationship between these. Offered Occasionally.

GEO 331 Cr.3Geography of the Middle East, Central and South AsiaCultural, physical and economic elements of this predominantly Islamicdomain are examined from a geographic perspective for a betterunderstanding of this region of the world. Cultural and socio-economicimpact of these regions on other regions and cultures of the world,including their resources, are investigated. Offered Occasionally.

GEO 340 Cr.3Earth's Polar RegionsThe geography of the Arctic and Antarctic. Physical environment,climate, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, natural resources anddevelopment, exploration, governance, indigenous peoples, andanthropogenic impacts. Comparisons and contrasts between thecircumpolar northern Arctic region and the southern continent ofAntarctica. Connections of the polar regions to global processes andinternational issues. Offered Occasionally.

ESC/GEO 345 Cr.3Remote SensingIntroduction to remote sensing, emphasizing satellite multispectralobservations of the earth applied to such fields as agriculture, forestry,water resources, urban and regional planning, and environmentalassessment. Upper Midwest and selected areas worldwide are exploredwith visual and digital image processing techniques. (Cross listed withESC/GEO, may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall.

ARC/ESC/GEO 347 Cr.3GeoarchaeologyAn applied course on the contribution of earth sciences to theinterpretation of archaeological contexts. This course will consistof field, lab and lecture components. Emphasis is placed on themethods of geoarchaeology and the applications of selected earthscience fields to archaeological problems. Field trips will be a requiredcomponent of the course in order to complete field descriptions andsampling. Prerequisite: ARC 196 or ESC 222 or ESC/GEO 426 or ESC/GEO 430. (Cross-listed with ARC/ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in onedepartment.) Offered Occasionally.

ESC/GEO 355 Cr.3Map Design and GeovisualizationIn this course students will learn about the process of making maps,how to acquire and appropriately manipulate spatial data, and how todesign clear, compelling, and beautiful maps. In addition to the keytheories underlying the cartographic discipline, students will learntechnical skills to enhance their other research interests and makethem far more competitive on the job market once they graduate.Students will apply their knowledge about map design using cuttingedge software. Lect. 2, Lab 2. Prerequisite: GEO/ESC 250. (Cross-listedwith ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall.

ESC/GEO 385 Cr.3Introduction to Geographic Information System and ScienceAn introduction to both theoretical and applied aspects of GeographicInformation Systems (GIS). GIS software, with an emphasis on ArcGIS,will be used to explore geographic questions. Hands-on exercisespertaining to environmental science, natural resource management,business, and urban planning will be used to complement lecturematerial. Topics will include data organization, database structure, inputand output, data quality, and geographic analysis of spatial and attributedata. Lect. 2, Lab 2. Prerequisite: ESC/GEO 250; STAT 145. (Cross-listedwith ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall,Spring.

Geography (GEO) - Courses           3

ESC/GEO 390 Cr.3Geospatial Field MethodsCovers fundamental concepts of geospatial data collection, analysis,and representation. Students gain hands-on experience using geospatialtechnology at field sites in the La Crosse area. Includes reconnaissanceand surveys using current methods, including GPS and total stations;and practical integration of field data into a geographic informationsystem. Lect. 2, Lab. 2. Prerequisite: ESC/GEO 385 or concurrentenrollment; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earncredit in one department.) Offered Fall.

GEO 401 Cr.1Focus on Geography: A Capstone CourseA seminar-style course designed to prepare students for graduateschool and/or a career in geography/earth science. This course willcover the basic concepts of interviewing, graduate school application,oral presentation of a topic, and the writing of professional abstracts.The development of the field will be studied by the reading anddiscussion of landmark articles in geography and earth science.Students are expected to actively participate in the assessment of theirmajor. Prerequisite: senior standing. Offered Fall.

ECO/GEO/HIS/POL/PSY/SOC 408 Cr.4Teaching and Learning History & Social Studies in the Secondary SchoolThis course will be integrated with a field experience. In the contextof a real classroom, teacher candidates will learn how to plan for andassess student learning in history and social sciences. With a focus oncontent knowledge, teacher candidates will plan a variety of meaningfullearning experiences, assess student learning, and monitor and modifyinstruction to best support the individual learners in the classroom. Theteacher candidate will design, enact, and assess activities that advancestudent understanding to more complex levels. Teacher candidateswill gain experience in monitoring the obstacles and barriers that somestudents or groups of students face in school and learn how to designlearning experiences to support all learners. Prerequisite: EDS 351.(Cross-listed with ECO/GEO/HIS/POL/PSY/SOC; may only earn credit inone department.) Offered Fall, Spring.

ESC/GEO 422/522 Cr.3MeteorologyAtmospheric concepts and processes of the earth’s weather arecovered. Principles and laws which govern the behavior of theatmosphere are investigated, including energy exchange betweenthe earth and the atmosphere, forces governing atmospheric motion,atmospheric moisture and stability, condensation and precipitationprocesses, air masses and cyclogenesis, thunderstorm and tornadodevelopment, and hurricanes. Surface and upper-air charts, synopticpatterns, thermodynamic charts, radar and satellite images, and weatherpatterns are analyzed. Prerequisite: ESC 221; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) OfferedSpring.

ESC/GEO 425/525 Cr.3BiogeographyA systematic analysis of the geographic distribution of organisms fromhistorical, ecological and regional perspectives. Emphasis is placedon the principles and the methods of biogeography. Special referenceis made to bio-geographic regions, the distribution of organisms inspace and time, and ecological biogeography. Prerequisite: ESC 101 orESC 211; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earncredit in one department.) Offered Fall - Odd Numbered Years.

ESC/GEO 426/526 Cr.4Soil SystemsA comprehensive study of soils around the world and the factors andprocesses that drive their formation and dynamic evolution. Emphasisis placed on soil morphology, formation, and biogeochemical influenceswithin the soil environment. A one-credit lab section is devoted to thehands-on exploration and study of soils through laboratory and fieldexercises. Prerequisite: ESC 222; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Alternate Years.

ESC/GEO 427 Cr.3Water ResourcesA study of physical water resources systems and management andutilization of water as a resource. Class activities will include seminarson critical water resource management issues and hands-on analysis ofpertinent data, including exercises in Geographic Information Systems.Prerequisite: ESC 101; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; mayonly earn credit in one department.) Offered Spring - Odd NumberedYears.

ESC/GEO 428 Cr.3Past Environmental ChangeAn overview of the study of environmental change during theQuaternary. Approaches used to understand past climatic conditionsand effects on terrestrial and marine ecosystems at global, regional andlocal scales will be explored, as will physical, geochemical and biologicalmethods associated with continuous and depositional environments.Prerequisite: ESC 221 and ESC 222; junior standing. (Cross-listed withESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered AlternateYears.

ESC/GEO 430/530 Cr.3River SystemsA systematic study of the interactions between flowing water andsurface landforms. Emphasis is placed on watershed and streamdevelopment, sediment transport and storage, flow frequency analysis,and applications of fluvial principles to river management and streamrestoration. Class activities will include field exercises in the La Crosseregion, mathematical analysis of hydrologic variables, and spatialanalysis with Geographic Information Systems. Prerequisite: ESC 222;junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in onedepartment.) Offered Spring - Odd Numbered Years.

ESC/GEO 440/540 Cr.3Geographic Interpretation of Aerial PhotographsSystematic applications of aerial photographs in the interpretationand analysis of geographic problems. Emphasis is placed on theinterpretation of digital photographs within a geographic informationsystem. Topics include urban and rural land use, natural resource, andenvironmental assessment. Lect.2, Lab 2. Prerequisite: ESC/GEO 385;junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in onedepartment.) Offered Occasionally.

ESC/GEO 445/545 Cr.3Advanced Remote SensingAdvanced techniques of digital satellite and airborne image analysis andprocessing, emphasizing theory and applications in natural resource,land use and environmental assessment. Includes practical approachesto integrating imagery with geographic information systems for spatialanalyses and decision making. Data acquisition, integrity, manipulation,formatting, storage, and retrieval are also examined. Prerequisite: ESC/GEO 345. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in onedepartment.) Offered Spring.

4        Geography (GEO) - Courses

ESC/GEO 450 Cr.3-12Geography InternshipPractical experience with a variety of organizations where the student’sgeographic background and training can be utilized to advantage.Students are placed in carefully selected positions screened by thedepartment. Actual work supervision is accomplished by personnel ofthe selected agency and the department staff coordinator. A maximumof five credits may be counted toward the non-education major.Prerequisite: geography major; cumulative GPA of 2.25 with a minimumof 2.75 GPA in geography; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO;may only earn credit in one department.) Pass/Fail grading. Offered Fall,Spring, Summer.

ESC/GEO 455/555 Cr.3Web MappingIn this course, students will learn how to produce and design interactiveWeb maps for communication. Web maps take many forms and theyare continually changing. Thus, the objective of this course is to do twothings: (1) develops proficiency in the scripting languages and toolsmost frequently used to design and create these maps; and (2) teachesthe theory and concepts underlying good Web map design so that as thetechnologies change in the future students will still be able to designeffective Web maps. At the end of this course, students will be ableto design a Web map from scratch. Lect. 2, Lab 2. Prerequisite: ESC/GEO 250; ESC/GEO 355; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO,may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Spring.

ESC/GEO 460/560 Cr.3Environmental HazardsEnvironmental processes are investigated in light of the hazards theymight pose for development and how they may be avoided, mitigatedand managed. Prerequisite: ESC 221 or ESC 222; junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) OfferedFall - Even Numbered Years.

ESC/GEO 470/570 Cr.1-3Special Topics in Geography/Earth ScienceSpecifically selected topics or skills which may be designed for theinterest of special groups will be offered with formalized instructionand methodology appropriate to geography and/or earth science. Maybe counted as an elective in the geography major or earth scienceminor at the discretion of the Geography/Earth Science Department.Prerequisite may be required at the discretion of the department.Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Prerequisite: junior standing.(Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.)Offered Occasionally.

ESC/GEO 476/576 Cr.1-3Geography/Earth Science Topics for TeachersSelected topics in geography and/or earth science pertinent toapplications in the teachers’ classrooms. Courses are designed to meetthe needs of teachers so that they may implement the course materialinto their classroom teaching. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earn credit in one department.) OfferedOccasionally.

GEO 485/585 Cr.3Advanced Geographic Information ScienceAdvanced theories in geographic information systems databasestructures, advanced applications, database transfers, databasemanagement, use of census data, spatial analysis, and decision-making.Emphasis on ARCGIS and its applications. Integration of GIS withremote sensing and GPS. Lect. 2, Lab. 2. Prerequisite: STAT 145; ESC/GEO 385; junior standing. Offered Spring.

GEO 488 Cr.3Spatial Data AnalysisTheory, methods, and techniques for quantitative analysis of spatialdata. Students will learn and employ basic quantitative techniques fordescribing, modeling, and analyzing spatial data. This course explorespoint pattern analysis, methods for continuous data, and spatialregression. Focus will be on the interpretation and the application ofspatial data analysis techniques to address geographic problems.Prerequisite: STAT 145; GEO/ESC 385 or concurrent enrollment; juniorstanding. Offered Alternate Years.

ESC/GEO 490/590 Cr.2-3Independent StudyIndividual readings and investigation of selected problems in geography.Open to senior majors and minors with a "B" (3.00) average ingeography. Registration with consent of regular advisor, instructor,department chairperson, and the dean of the college in which thestudent is enrolled. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Maximum threecredits applicable to major. Maximum three credits from any instructor.Prerequisite: junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earncredit in one department.) Consent of instructor. Offered Fall, Winter,Spring, Summer.

ESC/GEO 495/595 Cr.1-3Seminar in Geography/Earth ScienceInvestigation into various topics in geography or the earth sciences.Varying topics will be offered at intervals with a specific title assignedto each. Prerequisite: two semesters of geography and/or earth science.Additional prerequisite may be required by the instructor. Repeatablefor credit - maximum six. Variable topics; check semester timetables.Prerequisite: junior standing. (Cross-listed with ESC/GEO; may only earncredit in one department.) Offered Occasionally.

ESC/GEO 499 Cr.1-3Undergraduate ResearchIndividual research by an advanced student under the supervision of afaculty member in the geography/earth science department. The studentmust present a written report and either have their work publishedin an appropriate journal or presented either orally or by poster at aconference acceptable to the department chair and adviser. A contractmust be signed by the student, the project advisor, the student’s advisorand the Geography/Earth Science Department Chair. Repeatable forcredit - maximum three. Three credits may be applied to a major orminor in geography and earth science. Prerequisite: 12 credits ofgeography and/or earth science with six of the credits numbered 300 orabove, or consent of the instructor and department chair. (Cross-listedwith GEO/ESC; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall,Winter, Spring, Summer.